What Is Steve Ballmer’s Legacy?

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced he would be stepping. WSJ’s Spencer Ante discusses the Ballmer legacy and what could be next for Microsoft. Photo: AP.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... ay ay mm mm ... this morning announced that CEO Steve Von will retire ... after the naming of this is of a successor within the next twelve months Spencer on pay joins us now on MoneyBeat should take a look back upon the legacy ... though what could be next for Micra soft ... is a big ... big changes the company now has been almost fourteen years now ... not the greatest legacy for CEO but ... look the stock ... as the Giugiaro pride pointed uses Yelp ... the stock up seven percent the day when answering a piano market unspoken pretty loudly about what they think about this move and obviously the market is saying that ... it is deftly time for Steve homeowner to move on nom ... you know lot of people of the greatest croissant marks off the last few years ... have bomb called for this um you know it ... call thirteen fourteen years as CEO ... on a technology company is is a really long time ... um I think its forces legacy goes ... was and he was one of the early employees of Micra soft witch's become the world's early valuable were software companies that are so it's the most viable software for remember also ... you know if you wasn't one of their early employees has been there his whole career I think ... people have a very different view of his legacy so I think his legacy is going to be solid that him and he was late ... you know ... an early employee is an executive of this company it's the most viable software comes in the world ... but ... it's not can it be ... a blemish legacy because that is the CEO years which ... frankly were pretty mediocre ... but how you look of the stock when he came in generate two thousand is around fifty dollars ... this morning that surround the L thirty five dollars ... and ... I'm ... that that was a standout when you think the Steve Palmer are some of his public appearances ... yet and we have a little Mia ... Ro is ... going to stand on their Live's there yet right ... I ... I ... the the ... the ... the the ... the ... I ... the ... I ... the ... the the ... oh ... all you'll ... yes ... within the euro seemed bomber is a very intense and very competitive guy in on the few that video shows that I think actually that's when the stripes yet but I think ... when you look at his legacy as the CEO ... it's really has a product manager and as the strategist worries fell and he has overseen a number of products that have been very poorly received in the market ... Windows Vista most recently of Windows a which is my name ... the sort of PC and mobile offerings into one unified system ... I which which has only done that well and so I think that's the reason greatest talent is that he hasn't really ... um ... transform Micra soft to become a successful company in the internet age ... and Allen the mobile age and I think the board is saying now that ... they just recently announced this major transition strategic shift right okay to modernize laws that are yet to persuade the reader and as the whole management team ... and ... even Steve said in his note ... on ... this cover over time but my rational thoughts on time you would of had my retirement happen in the middle of our companies transition and ... transformation ... so ... the board is saying that you know what ... they need a new leader to sort of execute the strategy and you know why I don't even though the strategy is going to ... be the long-term stud fee I and that is the real question that Palmer is going to be the new person black death was amended person obviously be a bomber is going ... on a fall in case you know you're going back to the beginnings of the company and now they say they might look solid internal my persona yet with the candidates everywhere that's ... often what what do you do get to what ... they're still profitable right batting vastly from Nestle profit yet what you do though to get this company growing holding it together strategy a chance and and to see if I were to visit my out whether you live in a given a chance that another Medved and fun fun this new leader of back ... and there to see what the person to do with the strategy ... but I think that if they don't see positive results from the strategy role to Lee Soon ... that they might have to consider something more radical ... because there's a bigger shift going on here right now which is impacting Mike soft in all these other coal technology commies that is that ... cloud computing and the shift to this ... mobile centric model ... you know is is is a really big challenge for these companies ... and ... to serve address that they might have to do something more radical than just keeping this company to gather for one that might happen ... consider ... breaking dawn hospital is off to focus the more we'll see if the wool early to be talking about that but ... you know the thing that's now back on the table bought